Forest Park

GET OUT THE WORD... VOLUNTEERING IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL, AND GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Photo by Spencer T. Tucker

Volunteerism
is one of those things that is on everyone’s “to-do” list. Too often it is
pushed to the wayside to make room for the rest of life’s events. In this
upcoming year, we as New Yorkers have a chance to make more of a difference
than ever by volunteering right here in the Big Apple. Parks offers a thousand
ways to help improve neighborhoods, communities at large, and the city as a
whole.

The
Eighth Annual fall “It’s My Park Day!” will bring thousands of volunteers from
around New York City to clean and fix-up their neighborhood parks and
playgrounds. The day is a dramatic demonstration of the civic commitment of New
Yorkers and the importance of green space in New York City. Everyone is
welcome and encouraged to join Parks employees and volunteer at parks around
the city. The event lasts the entire day of October 19th and New
Yorkers can get involved by calling (212) 360-1357.

“It’s
My Park Day!” is led by Partnerships for Parks, a group formed to spur
more community support for, and involvement in, New York City parks. It is a
joint program of City Parks Foundation and Parks. "Fall "It's My Park!" Day is a great opportunity for all
the civic groups involved in parks to come together on one day across the City
to show a united force for parks,” said Dana Litvack, Director of
Operations for Partnerships for Parks. “Volunteering
in parks means so much, from locking the park at night to coaching sports
leagues to leading nature tours to meeting with elected officials about your
park to cleaning up the park to gardening. This day brings together all these
interests and promotes the importance of civic involvement.”

This
event wraps up the season for hundreds of civic groups and Friends of Parks
groups throughout the City. There are approximately 300 “Friends of” groups in
New York City, and another 500 civic groups that regularly devote their time to
organizing special events and volunteering in their neighborhood parks.

On
Wednesday, October 9, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Brooklyn Borough
President Marty Markowitz, and members of Brooklyn Parks Advocates to promote
volunteerism in Brooklyn parks and across the city. Besides encouraging New
Yorkers to participate in “It’s My Park Day,” Commissioner Benepe also
explained that there are many other ways to make a difference.

“Aside
from general clean-up and fix-up jobs, volunteers assist with trail
maintenance, tree pruning and gardening,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Lots of
people also help out in our recreation centers by coaching children’s sports
teams and teaching classes. We even have volunteers who lock the parks at night
to help keep their parks and playgrounds clean and safe.”

The
message that day was clear: volunteering is a great way to make New York City a
better, safer, cleaner, greener, and happier place to live. From the steps of
Borough Hall in Brooklyn to the furthest reaches of the Bronx, “It’s My Park
Day” will unite New Yorkers under a common goal.

Written by Jeffrey
Sandgrund

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Thursday, October 19, 1989)

ASPHALT GREEN TO TURN BLUE

The
plans for a new $14 million swimming and sports training center at Asphalt
Green in Manhattan were announced by Mayor Edward I. Koch at City Hall on Monday,
October 16.

The
highlight of the new facility will be New York’s first public indoor, 50-meter
Olympic-length pool. Asphalt Green, a non-profit sports, arts and education
center, is located between East 90th and 92nd Streets,
and York and East End Avenues. It serves over 100,000 people a year from
public and private schools, athletic leagues and community groups, including
the Police Athletic League, and is open 16 hours a day, seven days a week.